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 Earth Sow said to the litter, “I’ll wake up and tear you to pieces!”

With that she settled back in the mud and fell asleep.

Vitazko again reached over and now he picked up the same little suckling on the end of his spit. This time it made no sound. Instantly Tatosh, the magic steed, rose on the wind and flew straight home to Nedyelka.

“How did things go?” the old woman asked.

“Just as you said they would,” Vitazko told her. “See, here is the suckling.”

“Good, my son. Take it home to your mother.”

So Vitazko returned the spit and led Tatosh back to his stall. Then he threw the suckling over his beech-tree, thanked old St. Nedyelka, bade her good-day, and with a happy heart went home.

At the castle the mother was making merry with the dragon. Suddenly in the distance they saw Vitazko coming.

“Here he comes!” the mother cried. “Oh dear, what shall I do?”

“Don’t be afraid,” Sharkan advised. “We’ll send him off on another quest and this time he’ll surely not come back. Pretend you’re sick again and tell him